Manual actuator for service machines



March 25, 196% M. A. HALL MANUAL ACTUATOR FOR SERVICE MACHINES I of 2Sheet Filed July 2.8, 1967 INVENTOR March 25, 1969 M. A. HALL 3,434,580

ANUAL ACTUATOR FOR SERVICE MACHINES Filed July 2.8, 1967 Sheet 2 of 2FIG-H INVENTOR MITCHELL A. HALL nited States 3,434,580 MANUAL ACTUATORFOR SERVICE MACHINES US. Cl. 194-9 23 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThe actuator includes a manually reciprocable operating shaft toactivate the starter of a dispensing machine. The operating shaftnormally is locked against advancement toward the starter, but may bereleased for manual advancement by the deposit of a proper coin or coinsin a coin slide which may be located at a distance from the actuator.The coin slide and the actuator are associated to the extent that theactuator includes solenoid means controlled by one or more electricswitches to be closed whenever proper coins are accepted by the coilslide. The operating shaft of the actuator includes means to foilattempts made for free play, and all operative elements thereof areinaccessible for unauthorized manipulation.

This invention relates to a manual actuator for service machines, forexample, machines designed to dispense a commodity or a service, ormachines for other purposes which may be placed in operation by a patronafter deposit of one or more tokens in a suitable receptacle.

An object of the invention is to provide a manually operable actuatorincluding means to preclude free play or operation of a service machinein the absence of a proper coin or token deposite, and to prevent morethan one actuation in return for each such deposit.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism in anactuator of the character stated, which is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture and install, and which will perform reliable trouble-freeservice without maintenance expense throughout a long period of use.

A further object is to provide an actuator for the purpose stated whichis fool-proof in many respects, the operating parts of which are noteasily accessible for unauthorized manipulation.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means describedherein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved actuator, in a form whichrequires for its operation the closing of one electric circuit, theoperating shaft thereof being fully retracted.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of FIG. 2, parts being broken away.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the operating shaft partlyadvanced.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4, the operating shaft being fullyadvanced to an operative position.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, the operating shaft being partiallywithdrawn from operative position.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a modification wherein two electriccircuits are required for conditioning the device for operation, theoperating shaft thereof being in the fully withdrawn or inoperativeposition.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-section taken through theaxis of the operating shaft.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 9, with the operating shaft thereofpartially advanced.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 10', showing the relationship of partsoccurring in FIG. 11.

3 ,434,586 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 11,showing the operating shaft fully extended to the operative position.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 12, showing the relationship of partsoccurring in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14, showing the operating shaftthereof partially withdrawn from the operative position.

Machines for vending services or commodities general ly arecoin-operated, that is, they require the deposit of one or more propercoins in order to condition a machine for the dispensing operation.Usually the dispensing machine embodies a starter in the form of ashaft, lever, button, or electric switch (not shown) which may bedepressed or otherwise actuated to initiate a dispensing operation, onlyafter a deposit of the proper coin or coins. The starter element of thedispensing machine may be aligned with one end 18 of an operating shaft20 to be reciprocated by means of a knob or handle 24. Shaft 20 may bereciprocated between an inoperative or retracted position (FIGS. 1, 2,3, 9 and 10), and an operative or extended position (FIGS. 6, 7, 13 and14). In the operative or extended position, the shaft end 18 may strikeand move the dispensing machine starter, to initiate a dispensingoperation.

The actuator disclosed in the accompanying drawings may be installedwithin a dispensing machine housing, with handle 24 exposed formanipulation exteriorly of the housing, and with shaft end 18 inalignment with the dispensing machine starter. It may be noted that saidactuator includes no coin-receiving or coin testing components such asare usually incorporated in a coin slide. In practice, a conventionalcoin slide may be used in conjunction with the present actuator, and maybe located remotely therefrom, if desired.

The present actuator may depend for its operation, upon the momentaryclosing of an electric switch 26 (FIG. 1), or upon the momentary closingof a plurality of electric switches 28, 30 (FIG. 9), said switch orswitches preferably being located for actuation by a coin slide whichtests and either accepts or rejects coins deposited therein. The switchor switches may be closedcircuited only upon the acceptance of propercoins or tokens by the coin slide. Accordingly, the acceptance of propercoins or tokens by the coin slide may result in closing the switch orswitches momentarily, to furnish electric impulses which will conditionthe present actuator for manipulation by means of handle or knob 24.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 through 8, the shaft 20 may be mountedupon a base 32 for longitudinal reciprocation, and may carry a fixedstop 34 to limit movement of the shaft to the retracted or inoperativeposition of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Stop 34 has another function later to beexplained.

Intermediate the stop 34 and the inner end 18, shaft 20 may be providedwith a series of annular ratchet grooves providing in effect rack teeth36, flanked by annular seats 38 and 40 of reduced diameter. A reversibledoublenosed ratchet pawl 42 pivoted upon a stationary element of thebase at 44, and biased to a neutral position by a spring 46, may dipinto either of the seats 38 or 40 at the extreme shifted positions ofshaft 20. Upon advancement of shaft 20 to the right, FIG. 5, pawl 42 mayratchet freely over teeth 36, but will perform to preclude retraction ofthe shaft until the shaft reaches the fully extended position of FIG. 7,at which the pawl drops into seat 38 preparatory to reversing itsoperation. From the position of FIG. 7 the shaft 24 may be retracted,according to FIG. 8, with the pawl ratcheting freely over teeth 36 butremaining always in readiness to prevent shaft advancement to the rightin FIG. 8, until the pawl drops into seat 40 upon full retraction ofshaft 20.

From the foregoing explanation, it will be understood that pawl 42assures continuity of shifting of shaft 29 in either of its lineardirections of shiftability between the fully advanced and the fullyretracted positions.

The numeral 50 indicates an electro-magnetic device, preferably in theform of a solenoid having a reciprocable armature 52 to be retractedinto the coil of the solenoid whenever switch 26 is momentarily closedby reason of a coin or token acceptance by a coin slide as previouslyexplained. The armature preferably is not spring-biased in eitherdirection of its movement. A link 54 carried by the outer end ofarmature 52 connects the armature to a locking pawl 56, which by theforce of a spring 58, may be biased constantly toward the longitudinalaxi of shaft 20. The locking pawl 56 may be rockable upon a stud orpivot 60 which is fixed to base member 32.

When armature 52 is extended, and operating shaft 20 is fully retractedto the inoperative position of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the nose of pawl 56 maybe yieldingly projected by spring 58 onto the seat 40 of shaft 20, andwill engage a shoulder or abutment 62 at one end of ratchet structure 36to preclude manual advancement of shaft 20 toward the operativeposition. The shaft will be so locked against advancement until pawl 56is withdrawn, as in FIG. 4, incident to retraction of armature 52resulting from momentary closing of electric switch 26. As waspreviously stated, armature 52 will remain retracted after a momentaryenergization of solenoid 50, as in FIG. 4, thereby to unlock shaft 20and permit advancement thereof by means of handle 24, to the fullyextended or operative position of FIG. 6.

The numeral 64 indicates an armature latch pivoted upon a pin 66 fixedto base member 32. The latch may have a toe 68 at one end, and a heel 70at the opposite end thereof. A spring 72 may operate to yieldingly urgethe toe of the latch against a side of armature 52.

The armature may carry a keeper in the form of an annular radiallyoutwardly extended flange '74, which is fixed for movement with thearmature. As FIG. 2 indicates, latch toe 68 is held by spring 72 againstthe armature side and behind keeper 74, when shaft 21) is fullyretracted with pawl 56 in engagement with shaft abutment 62. Thearmature may limit rotation of latch 64 in the clockwise direction.

Upon momentary closing of switch 26 to withdraw the armature, as in FIG.4, keeper 74 will act to momentarily rotate the latch incounter-clockwise direction, and the toe of the latch will override thekeeper to assume a position ahead of the keeper and against the armature(FIG. 4), at which position of the latch the toe {thereof holds thearmature in retracted position. At the same time, pawl 56 is withdrawnfrom seat 46 and abutment 62 by the retraction of armature 52, so thatthe operating shaft may be advanced toward the right, or towardoperative position, by means of knob or handle 24. FIG. 4 shows theoperating shaft partially advanced.

When the operating shaft reaches the fully advanced position of FIG. 6,stop 34 thereon strikes the heel 7d of latch 64 and rotates the latch incounter-clockwise direction to displace the latch toe 68 from engagementwith keeper 74. Locking pawl 56 thereupon is projected onto seat 38 bythe force of its spring 58, and may engage a shaft abutment 76 to stopthe shaft advancement at the operative position of the shaft. Thelocking pawl in so moving, may through the agency of link -4, extend thearmature 52, FIG. 6. In reaching the fully advanced position of FIG. 6,the shaft end 18 will have actuated a starter of a dispensing machine,to deliver a commodity or a service.

The operating shaft 20 of FIG. 6 having been fully advanced, may now beretracted by means of handle or knob 24. In the initial stage of theshaft retraction, stop 34 will leave the heel of latch 64, therebypermitting the toe 68 of the latch to engage behind keeper 74 as in FIG.2, while the teeth of ratchet 36 freely pass under and override the noseof pawl 56. Pawl 56 may be loose on link 54 to permit the ratchetoverride, or, the pawl in being displaced by ratchet teeth 36 passingtherunder, may slightly move the armature into the solenoid coil andthereby cause a slight displacement of latch toe 68 short of causingkeeper 74 to pass the toe 68 of the latch. That is, keeper 74 will notthereby be moved far enough toward the solenoid coil, so as to bringabout the solenoid coil, so as to bring about the solenoid latchingcondition of FIG. 4.

From the foregoing explanation, it should be understood that fullretraction of operating shaft will bring about the relationship of theelements depicted by FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, in readiness for a subsequentcycle of operation to be initiated by a momentary energization ofsolenoid 50 as previously explained.

In the modification, FIGS. 9 through 15, two solenoids 78 and 80 areemployed, and are separately energizable by the momentary closing of twoelectric switches 28 and 30, either simultaneously or consecutively. Inone practical exemplification, switches 28 and may be incorporated in acoin slide which is adapted to receive two coins of differentdenominations. If both coins deposited in the coin slide pass the usualtests, one coin may be instrumental, directly or indirectly, in closingthe switch of solenoid 78, and the other accepted coin may beinstrumental in closing the switch of solenoid 80. If either coin isrejected by the coin slide, that switch which is associated with therejected coin will fail to close, and accordingly, one of the solenoidswill receive no energizing electric impulse. The same situation mayresult from the use of two separate coin slides, each controlling one ofthe electric switches.

The actuator of FIGS. 9 through 15 may incorporate an operating shaft 20like that of FIG. 1, which may be advanced to operative position after amomentary energization of both solenoids 78 and 80, but not afterenergization of only one solenoid. That is, two proper coins must bedeposited in and accepted by one or more coin slides, before operatingshaft 20 may be manipulated to initiate delivery of a service orcommodity by a service machine under the control of the actuator.

The reference numeral 82 indicates a base member which supports shaft 20for longitudinal reciprocation between the fully retracted inoperativeposition of FIGS. 9 and 10, and the fully advanced operative position ofFIGS. 13 and 14. Shaft end 18 in these figures corresponds to the shaftend 18 of FIGS. 1 through 8, and may perform the same function ofactivating the starter of a service machine. The opposite end of shaft20 may carry a knob or handle, as at 24 of FIG. 1, and intermediate theshaft ends may be formed the ratchet section 36 flanked by the seats 38and of reduced diameter. As FIGS. 10, l2, l4 and 15 clearly indicate,retrograde movements of shaft 20 may be controlled by a springbiasedreversible pawl 42 in a manner and for the purposes previouslyexplained.

The armatures of solenoids 78 and are denoted 86 and 88, respectively,and each may carry at its exposed end a connecting link 84. Theconnecting links have pivotal connection with a pair of locking pawls 90and 92 which at corresponding ends may be pivoted at 94, 94 upon basemember 82. Each locking pawl may have at it swinging end a nose portion96 adapted to rest normally upon seat 40 and to engage a stop shoulderor abutment 98 to preclude advancement of shaft 20 toward the operativeposition. The noses of the locking pawls may be yieldingly held againstseat 40 and abutment 98 by suitable spring means 100, which may comprisea tension spring having opposite ends thereof anchored on the pawls fordrawing the pawl noses toward one another.

From the foregoing explanation, it will be understood that the lockingpawls acting against annular abutment 98, will normally precludeshifting of shaft 29 from left to right. However, the pawl noses may beswung outwardly about their pivots 94 to disengage the abutment 98,Whenever the solenoids 78 and 80 are energized to retract theirarmatures 86 and 88 through the agency of links 84, 84. It will beunderstood also that energization of only one solenoid will not releaseshaft for manual advancement, because the locking pawl controlled by thesolenoid not energized, will remain in locking engagement with abutment98. Thus, the deposit of a proper coin in a coin slide to effect aclosing of switch 28, will not sufiice to release shaft 20 forreciprocation unless a second proper coin is deposited to effect aclosing of switch also.

The release of shaft 20 by locking pawls 90 and 92, is to be effectedwhether the solenoids be energized either simultaneously, or insuccession, and means is provided for assuring such release of theshaft. Said means may comprise a pair of armature latches 102 and 104.The latches may be rockable upon stationary pivots 106 and 108upstanding upon base member 82, and each latch may include a toe 110 anda heel 112 located at opposite ends of the latch. Spring means 114associated with the latches, serves to yieldingly urge the toes of thelatches constantly toward and against the sides of armatures '78 and 80.Such spring means may comprise a single tension spring having oppositeends anchored to the latches so as to rotate the latches in oppositedirections about their respective pivots, with the latch toes stoppedagainst the armatures.

Each armature near its exposed or outer end, may be provided with akeeper 116 to be engaged by a latch toe 110 as in FIG. 11. The keepermay consist of an annular shoulder or flange turned upon the armature toproduce the keeper 116. The keeper may include a conical surface uponwhich the latch toe 110 may slide in shifting from the FIG. 9 positionto the FIG. 11 position resulting from a retraction of the solenoidarmature.

The disclosures of FIGS. 9 and 10 indicate a normal relationship of theactuator components, at which the armatures 86 and 88 are extended; thelocking pawls 90 and 92 are in engagement with the shaft abutment 98;the latches 102 and 104 are out of engagement with keepers 116; andshaft 20 is in the fully retracted inoperative position. Assuming now amomentary closing of both switches 28 and 30, armatures 86 and 88 willbe retracted by their respective solenoids, and keepers 116 will movebeyond the toes of latches 102 and 104 to latch-engaging position (FIG.11). At the same time, connecting links 84 attached to the armatures,will displace the noses of pawls 90 and 92 from seat and from lockingengagement with shaft abutment 98, thereby to release shaft 20 formanual advancement to the right, as in FIG. 11, for distortion to thefully advanced operative position of FIG. 13, at which the shaft end mayactuate the starter of a service or vending machine. During the shaftadvancement, the pawl 42 of FIG. 12 perform to preclude retrogrademovement of the shaft in a manner previously explained, for the purposeof foiling free play manipulation of the shaft.

Once the shaft has reached the operative position, shaft stop 34 willhave struck the latch heels 112 (FIG. 13), to disengage the latch toes110-112 from keepers 116, and permit the noses of pawls 90-92 to dipinto shaft seat 38 under the force of spring 100. Adjacent to seat 38 isa stop or abutment 118 to be engaged by the noses of pawls 90 and 92,for limiting advancement of shaft 20 at operative position.

Operating shaft 20 may now be retracted manually from the operativeposition of FIG. 13 to the inoperative initial position of FIG. 9, andin so retracting, the teeth of ratchet section 36 will pass the noseends of locking pawls 90 and 92 although the pawl noses may be lightlyurged toward the ratchet teeth by spring 100. Shaft stop 34, of course,will leave the heels 112 of latches 102 and 104, permitting the latchtoes 110 to impinge against the side of each armature behind keepers 116as in FIG.

9. The device will then be in condition for another cycle of operationto be initiated by a closing of switches 28 and 30.

It will be noted that latches 102 and 104 will engage the keepers 116only after momentary energization of the solenoids to retract thearmatures thereof. If only one solenoid is activated, the armature ofthat solenoid Will be latched to hold its associated holding pawldisengaged from shaft abutment 98, but the shaft nevertheless will belocked against advancement by the holding pawl whose solenoid had notbeen activated. Thus it is apparent that the operating shaft may beadvanced to operative position only after an energization of bothsolenoids, either simultaneously or in succession. If the switches 28and 30 are to be momentarily closed by a deposit of proper coins in oneor more coin slides, the actuator of the present invention will beoperative only on condition that proper coins in proper numbers anddenominations are deposited.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may bemade in the structural details of the device, within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A manual actuator for activating the starter of a coin-controlleddispensing machine having associated therewith a coin slide whichincludes at least one normally open-circuited momentary contact electricswitch, said actuator comprising in combination: a base mem her; anelongate operating shaft supported by the base member for longitudinalmanual reciprocation between a normally retracted inoperative position,and an advanced operative position at which latter position said shaftmay activate a dispensing machine starter; a solenoid comprising a coilwinding to be energized momentarlly by closing of the contacts of thenormally opencontact electric switch upon acceptance of a coin depositedin the coin slide, and an armature shiftable in one direction byenergization of said solenoid coil windng; a keeper fixed upon saidarmature; a movable holdmg pawl having a nose yieldingly biased towardthe operating shaft; an abutment on said shaft engageable by the nose ofthe holding pawl so biased, to preclude advancement of said shaft fromthe inoperative position aforesaid; connecting means between the holdingpawl and the armature enforcing disengagement of the pawl nosefrom saidshaft abutment when the solenoid coil winding is energized to shift thearmature in said one d rection; a disengageable latch having a toeyieldingly biased to engage the armature keeper following shifting ofthe armature in said one direction, to maintain the armature in saidshifted position; and a stop on the operat ng shaft movable therewith tostrike the latch and disengage the toe thereof from the keeper uponadvancement of the shaft to operative position, said stop being movablefrom contact with the latch upon retract1on of the operating shaft.

2. The manual actuator as specified by claim 1, wherein the combinationincludes: means operative during advancement of the operating shaft topreclude retrograde movement of said shaft, and to preclude retrogrademovement of said shaft during retraction thereof. 3. The manual actuatoras specified by claim 1, wherein the combination includes: meansoperative durin retraction of the operating shaft from the operativeposi tron, to preclude retrograde movement of said shaft.

4. The manual actuator as specified by claim 3, wherein the means lastmentioned includes a series of rack teeth carried by the operatingshaft, and a ratchet pawl having a tooth yieldingly urged into contactwith the rack teeth.

I 5. The manual actuator as specified by claim 1, wherein thecombination includes: a second abutment on the operating shaftengageable by the nose of the holding 7 pawl, to establish the fullyadvanced operative position of said shaft.

6. The manual actuator as specified by claim 5, wherein the combinationincludes: means operative during retraction of the operating shaft fromsaid operative position, to preclude retrograde movement of said shaft.

7. The manual actuator as specified by claim 6, wherein the base memberprovides a common support for the latch, the holding pawl, the operatingshaft, and the solenoid including the coil winding and the armaturethereof.

8. A manual actuator for activating the starter of a coin-controlleddispensing machine having associated therewith coin side means embodyingtwo normally opencircuited momentary contact electric switchesseparately close-circuited by passage of at least two coins through saidcoin slide means, said actuator comprising in combination: a basemember; a single elongate operating shaft supported by the base memberfor longitudinal manual reciprocation between a normally retractedinoperative position, and an advanced operative position at which latterposition said shaft may activate a dispensing machine starter; a firstsolenoid and a second solenoid fixed upon the base member, and eachcomprising a coil winding, said windings being each electricallyconnected with one of the pair of normally open-circuited momentarycontact electric switches to be close-circuited incident to passage ofat least two coins through the coin slide means as stated; an armatureassociated with each solenoid, said armatures being shiftableindividually in one direction by separate energizations of said solenoidcoil windings through said switches; a keeper fixed upon ea h armature;a pair of movable holding pawls each having a nose yieldingly biasedtoward the operating shaft; abutment means on said shaft engageable bythe noses of the holding pawls so biased, to preclude advancement ofsaid shaft from the inoperative position aforesaid; connecting meansconnecting one holding pawl with the armature of the first solenoid andconnecting means connectin the other holding pawl with the armature ofthe second solenoid, enforcing disengagement 0f the pawl noses from saidshaft abutment means when the solenoid coil windings are energized toshift the armatures in said one direction; a pair of disengageablelatches each having a toe yieldingly biased to engage one of thearmature keepers following shifting of the armatures in said onedirection, to maintain the armatures in said shifted position; and stopmeans on the operating shaft movable therewith to strike both latchesand disengage the toes thereof from the keepers upon advancement of theshaft to operative position, said stop means being movable from contactwith both latches upon retraction of the operating shaft.

9. The manual actuator as specified by claim 8, wherein the combinationincludes: means operative during advancement of the operating shaft topreclude retrograde movement of said shaft, and to preclude retrogrademovement of said shaft during retraction thereof.

10. The manual actuator as specified by claim 8, wherein the combinationincludes: means operative during retraction of the operating shaft fromthe operative position, to preclude retrograde movement of said shaft.

11. The manual actuator as specified by claim 10, wherein the means lastmentioned includes a series of rack teeth carried by the operatingshaft, and a ratchet pawl having a tooth yieldingly urged into contactwith the rack teeth.

12. The manual actuator as specified by claim 10, wherein the firstsolenoid, its armature, and one holding pawl connected thereto, and thesecond solenoid, its armature, and the other holding pawl connected tothe armature, of said second solenoid, are disposed in substantialbalance at opposite sides of the operating shaft axis of reciprocation.

13. The manual actuator as specified by claim 8, wherein the combinationincludes: a second abutment means on the operating shaft engageable bythe nose of at least one of the holding pawls, to establish the advancedoperative position of said shaft.

14. The manual actuator as specified by claim 13, wherein thecombination includes: means operative during retraction of the operatingshaft from said operative position, to preclude retrograde movement ofsaid shaft.

15. A manual actuator for activating the starter of a coin-controlleddispensing machine having associated therewith a coin slide whichincludes a normally opencircuited momentary contact electric switch tobe closecircuited momentarily by passage of a coin through the coinslide, said actuator comprising in combination: a base member; anelongate operating shaft supported by said base member for longitudinalmanual reciprocation between a normally retracted inoperative position,and an advanced operative position at which latter position said shaftmay activate a dispensing machine starter; a solenoid comprising ashiftable armature and a coil winding, said coil winding adapted forelectrical connection in circuit with a normally open-circuitedmomentary contact electric switch responsive to passage of a cointhrough a coin slide for momentary closing of said switch; meansincluding a holding element normally locking the shaft againstadvancement in advance of a momentary energization of said solenoid coilwinding incident to a momentary closing of the electric switch; meansincluding the armature for displacing said holding element to free theoperating shaft for manual advancement following a momentary closing ofthe switch; an armature latch operative to maintain the armature and theholding element in said displace condition during manual advancement ofthe operating shaft; and means carried by said operating shaft fortripping said armature latch as said shaft approaches the advancedoperative position, for release of the holding element to theshaft-locking position aforesaid.

16. The manual actuator as specified by claim 15, wherein thecombination includes: means operative during retraction of the operatingshaft from the operative position, to preclude retrograde movement ofsaid shaft.

17. The manual actuator as specified by claim 16, wherein the holdingelement is in the form of a pawl pivoted upon the base member formovement toward and from the operating shaft, and includes a linkconnection with the solenoid armature enforcing movement of said pawlwith said armature.

18. The manual actuator as specified by claim 15, wherein thecombination includes: means operative during advancement of theoperating shaft to preclude retrograde movement of said shaft, and topreclude retrograde movement of said shaft during retraction thereof.

19. A solenoid controlled actuator comprising in combination: a basemember; an elongate operating shaft having a handle end and aprojectable end, and means on said base member supporting said shaft forlongitudinal manual reciprocation betwen a normally retractedinoperative position, and an advanced operative position at which latterposition the projectable end of the shaft is extended by manipulation ofthe handle end; a solenoid comprising a coil winding to be momentarilyelectrically energized, and an armature shiftable in one direction uponmomentary energization of said solenoid coil winding; a movable holdingpawl rockingly mounted relative to said base member, said pawl having anose; yielding means biasing said pawl nose toward the operating shaft;an abutment on said shaft engageable by the nose of the holding pawl sobiased, to preclude manual advancement of said shaft from theinoperative position toward the operative position thereof; connectingmeans between the holding pawl and said armature enforcing disengagementof the pawl nose from said shaft abutment upon momentary energization ofthe solenoid coil winding to shift the armature in said one direction;latch means operative to hold the armature in said shifted position; andmeans carried by the operating shaft to disable said latch means andfree the armature for return movement by the force of said yieldingmeans acting through said holding pawl, said disabling means beinglocated upon the operating shaft to disable the latching means as saidshaft reaches the advanced operative position thereof.

20. The actuator as specified by claim 19, wherein is included meansoperative during retraction of the operating shaft from the operativeposition, to preclude retrograde movement of said shaft.

21. The actuator as specified by claim 19, wherein is included meansoperative during advancement of the operating shaft toward the operativeposition, to preelude retrograde movement of said shaft.

22. The actuator as specified by claim 19, wherein is included a secondabutment 0n the operating shaft engageable by the nose of the holdingpawl as the shaft reaches 10 a fully advanced operative position, tolimit further advancement of the shaft.

23. The actuator as specified by claim 22, wherein is included meansoperative during retraction of the operating shaft from the operativeposition, to preclude retrograde movement of said shaft until the shaftreaches the inoperative position thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 374,297 12/ 1887 Everitt.2,333,665 11/1943 Mills. 2,003,349 6/1935 Durnble 19410 2,051,344 8/1936Parks et al 194-10 X 2,103,744 12/1937 Dumble 194-10 X 2,800,152 7/ 1957Sloier.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

